Fishlake National Forest, Utah, EIS for Oil and Gas Leasing, 38602-38604 [06-5950]
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cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
38602
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 130 / Friday, July 7, 2006 / Notices
Washington, western Oregon and
northern California.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January
2004, the Agencies approved the 2004
FSEIS analyzing a proposal to amend 28
land and resource management plans by
removing the Survey and Manage
Standards and Guidelines, to conserve
rare and little known species, and
reduce cost and effort and allow for
achievement of healthy forests and
timber outputs. The Agencies released a
Record of Decision adopting the
proposal in March, 2004. In August,
2005 the U.S. District Court of the
Western District of Washington found
the 2004 FSEIS failed to: (1) ‘‘* * *
analyze potential impacts to Survey and
Manage species if they are not added to
or are removed from the USDA Forest
Service’s and BLM’s respective
programs for special status species;’’ (2)
‘‘* * * provide a thorough analysis of
their assumption that the latesuccessional reserves would adequately
protect species that the Survey and
Manage standard was introduced to
protect, particularly in light of their
previous positions in earlier
environmental impact statements;’’ and
(3) ‘‘* * * disclose and analyze flaws in
their methodology for calculating the
acreage in need of hazardous fuel
treatments. Part of the cost analysis was
similarly flawed because it relied on the
acreage in need of hazardous fuel
treatments in calculating the cost of the
Survey and Manage standard.’’ The
Draft Supplement provides the
additional information and analysis to
address the deficiencies noted by the
court, and provides and analyzes new
information available since publication
of the 2004 FSEIS.
Following public comments, the
Agencies will prepare a Final
Supplement. No sooner than 30 days
following release of the Final
Supplement, the Agencies will prepare
a new Record of Decision. A decision to
select one of the action alternatives
would amend the management direction
in 28 land and resource management
plans in the Northwest Forest Plan area.
Comments received in response to this
solicitation, including names and
addresses, will be considered part of the
public record on this proposal and will
be available for public review during
regular business hours. Comments,
including names and addresses, may be
published as part of the Final
Supplement. If you wish to withhold
your name or address from public
review, or from disclosure under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), you
must state this prominently at the
beginning of your written comments.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:46 Jul 06, 2006
Jkt 208001
Such requests will be honored to the
extent allowed by law. Additionally,
pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person
may request that submissions be
withheld from the public record by
showing how the FOIA permits such
confidentiality. Persons requesting such
confidentiality should be aware that,
under the FOIA, confidentiality may be
granted in only limited circumstances,
such as to protect trade secrets. The
requester will be informed of the
Agencies’ decision regarding the request
for confidentiality. Where the request is
denied, the comments will be returned
to the requester and the requester will
be notified that the comments may be
resubmitted with or without name and
address. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and
considered, however, anonymous
comments do not create standing or a
record of participation. All submissions
from organizations and businesses, and
from individuals identifying themselves
as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
available for public inspection in their
entirety.
The Agencies believe it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court
rulings related to public participation in
the environmental review process.
Reviewers should structure their
participation so that it is meaningful to
alert the Agencies of their positions and
contentions [Vermont Yankee Nuclear
Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553
(1978)]. Also, environmental objections
that could be raised at the Draft
Supplement stage, but are not raised
until after completion of the Final
Supplement, may be waived or
dismissed by the courts [City of Angoon
v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th cir.
1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v.
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D.
Wis. 1980)]. Because of these court
rulings, it is important that those
interested in this proposed action
provide comments by the close of the
90-day comment period, so that the
Agencies can meaningfully consider and
respond to them in the Final
Supplement.
The responsible official for lands
administered by the USDA Forest
Service will be the Secretary of
Agriculture. The responsible official for
public lands administered by the
Bureau of Land Management will be the
Secretary of the Interior.
No public hearings or meetings are
planned.
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Dated: June 30, 2006.
Cynthia Ellis,
Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Land
Management, Washington, DC.
Dated: June 30, 2006.
Andria Weeks,
Regulatory Liaison Officer, United States
Forest Service, Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. E6–10541 Filed 7–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Fishlake National Forest, Utah, EIS for
Oil and Gas Leasing
Forest Service, USDA and
Bureau of Land Management, USDI.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Forest Service of the
Fishlake National Forest gives notice of
the intent to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to document the
analysis and disclose the environmental
and human effects of oil and gas leasing
on lands administered by the Fishlake
National Forest. The Federal Onshore
Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987
(FOOGLRA) requires the Forest Service
to evaluate National Forest System
lands for potential oil and gas leasing.
As the agency responsible for lease
issuance and administration, the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) will
participate as a cooperating agency.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis should be received by
August 10, 2006 to be most helpful. The
draft environmental impact statement is
scheduled for completion by the winter
of 2006, and the final environmental
impact statement is expected before
summer of 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to:
Carter Reed, Oil and Gas Team Leader,
Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900
North, Richfield, UT 84701; phone:
(435) 636–3547; fax: (435) 896–0347; email comments-intermtnfishlake@fs.fed.us. Please include ‘‘Oil
and Gas Leasing Analysis Project’’ on
the subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Davida Carnahan, Public Affairs Officer,
115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT
84701; phone: (435) 896–1070.
For technical information contact:
Carter Reed, Oil and Gas Team Leader,
(435) 636–3547.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
FOOGLRA requires the Forest Service
to evaluate National Forest System
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 130 / Friday, July 7, 2006 / Notices
(NFS) lands for potential oil and gas
leasing and establishes Forest Service
consent authority for leasing prior to the
BLM offering NFS lands for lease. Since
the FOOGLRA was signed into law,
there has been little industry interest in
leasing the lands administered by the
Fishlake National Forest, and no leasing
has been authorized by the Fishlake
National Forest; however, interest has
recently escalated due to the increased
demand for oil and gas, high prices, and
discoveries of oil and gas reserves in
other areas with similar geologic
conditions. The BLM Utah State Office
has received numerous Expressions of
Interest for leasing portions of the
Fishlake National Forest.
cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Proposed Action
The Forest Supervisor of the Fishlake
National Forest and Utah State Director,
Bureau of Land Management propose to
conduct the analysis and decide which
lands to make available for oil and gas
leasing. The analysis area includes
lands administered by the Fishlake
National Forest. As part of the analysis,
the Forest Service will identify those
areas that would be available for leasing
subject to the terms and conditions of
the standard oil and gas lease form, or
subject to constraints that would require
the use of lease stipulations such as
those prohibiting surface occupancy.
The analysis will also: (1) Identify
alternatives to the proposed action,
including that of not allowing leasing
(no action), (2) project the type/amount
of post-leasing activity that is
reasonably foreseeable, and (3) analyze
the reasonably foreseeable impacts of
projected post-leasing activity [36 CFR
228.102(c)].
Possible Alternatives
All alternatives studied in detail must
fall within the scope of the purpose and
need for action and will generally tier to
and comply with the Fishlake forest
plan. Law requires evaluation of a ‘‘noaction alternative’’. Under the No
Action/No Lease alternative, no oil and
gas leasing would occur. Alternatives to
be evaluated would range from the No
Action/No Lease alternative (most
restrictive) to the Standard Lease Terms
alternative (least restrictive) where all
lands legally open to leasing would be
made administratively available for
leasing with only the standard BLM
terms and conditions contained on BLM
Lease Form 3100–11. Other alternatives
which fall somewhere between the No
Action/No Leasing alternative and Lease
with Standard Terms alternative would
also be developed and evaluated, which
would involve making some lands
unavailable for leasing and other lands
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:46 Jul 06, 2006
Jkt 208001
38603
Mary Erickson, Forest Supervisor,
Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900
North, Richfield, UT 84701, Acting Utah
State Director, Bureau of Land
Management.
input. Six scoping meetings are
planned.
July 17: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Beaver
Ranger District, 575 South Main, Beaver,
Utah.
July 18: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Piute Event
Center, 180 W. 500 N., Junction, Utah.
July 19: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Loa Civic
Center, 95 W. Center, Loa, Utah.
July 20: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Millard High
School, 35 N. 200 W., Fillmore, Utah.
August 1: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Snow
College, Room 147C, Richfield, Utah.
August 2: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., American
Legion Hall, 50 S. State St., Salina,
Utah.
Written comments will be accepted at
these meetings. The Forest Service will
work with tribal governments to address
issues that would significantly or
uniquely affect them.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Preliminary Issues
The Forest Supervisor, Fishlake
National Forest, will decide which
lands administered by the Fishlake
National Forest will be administratively
available for oil and gas leasing, along
with associated conditions or
constraints for the protection of nonmineral interests [36 CFR 228.102(d)].
The Forest Supervisor will also
authorize the BLM to offer specific
lands for lease, subject to the Forest
Service ensuring that the required
stipulations are attached to the leases
[36 CFR 228.102(e)].
The BLM is responsible for issuing
and administration of oil and gas leases
under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920,
as amended, and Federal Regulations in
43 CFR 3101.7. The BLM Utah State
Director must decide whether or not to
offer for lease specific lands authorized
for leasing by the Fishlake National
Forest and with what stipulations.
Important goals for the project are to
meet the legal requirements for
evaluating National Forest System lands
and make the required decisions. The
intent of the applicable laws and
regulations (see Summary) are to lease
appropriate National Forest System
lands and provide a reasonable
opportunity to explore for, discover, and
produce economic oil and gas reserves
from available Federal lands, while
meeting the requirements of
environmental laws and protecting
other resources and interests not
compatible with such activities. Issues
are anticipated to involve potential
effects to wildlife, water, vegetation,
recreation, public safety, roadless
character, visual resources, cultural and
paleontological resources, and social
and economic settings. Specific issues
will be developed through review of
public comments and internal review.
Scoping Process
Comment Requested
The first formal opportunity to
comment on the Fishlake National
Forest Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis
Project is during the scoping process (40
CFR 1501.7), which begins with the
issuance of this Notice of Intent.
Mail comments to: Carter Reed, Oil
and Gas Team Leader, Fishlake National
Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield,
UT 84701.
The Forest Service requests comments
on the nature and scope of the
environmental, social, and economic
issues, and possible alternatives related
to oil and gas leasing on lands
administered by the Fishlake National
Forest.
A series of public opportunities are
scheduled to describe the proposal and
to provide an opportunity for public
This Notice of Intent initiates the
scoping process which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. The Forest has also
received substantial input at public
meetings held for the Forest Plan
revision, including issues relative to
mineral exploration and development.
Through these efforts the Forest has an
understanding of the broad range of
perspectives on the resource issues and
social values attributed to resource
activities on the Fishlake National
Forest. Consequently site-specific
comments or concerns are the most
important types of information needed
for this EIS. Because the Oil and Gas
Leasing EIS is a stand-alone document,
only public comment letters which
address relevant issues and concerns
available for leasing with lease
stipulations for the protection of other
resources and interests.
The Forest is expecting that the public
input will generate either thematic
concerns or area-specific issues that
may be addressed by modifying the
proposed action to create a new
alternative or alternatives.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service is the lead agency.
The Bureau of Land Management will
participate as a cooperating agency.
Responsible Officials
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38604
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 130 / Friday, July 7, 2006 / Notices
will be considered and formally
addressed in an appendix in the FEIS.
cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Early Notice of Importance of Public
Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
A draft environmental impact
statement will be prepared for comment.
The comment period on the draft
environmental impact statement is
expected to be 45 days from the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the notice of availability in
the Federal Register. The Forest Service
believes, at this early stage, it is
important to give reviewers notice of
several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental
review process. First, reviewers of draft
environmental impact statements must
structure their participation in the
environmental review of the proposal so
that it is meaningful and alerts an
agency to the reviewer’s position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear
Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553
(1978). Also, environmental objections
that could be raised at the draft
environmental impact statement stage
but that are not raised until after
completion of the final environmental
impact statement may be waived or
dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon
v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir.
1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v.
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D.
Wis. 1980). Because of these court
rulings, it is very important that those
interested in this proposed action
participate by providing comments
during scoping comment period and
during the comment period following
the draft EIS so that substantive
comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time
when it can meaningfully consider them
and respond to them in the final
environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in
identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action,
comments should be as specific as
possible. Reviewers may wish to refer to
the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations for implementing the
procedural provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR
1503.3 in addressing their points.
Comments received, including the
names and addresses of those who
comment, will be considered part of the
public record on this proposal and will
be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22;
Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section
21.)
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:46 Jul 06, 2006
Jkt 208001
Dated: June 27, 2006.
Mary C. Erickson,
Fishlake Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06–5950 Filed 7–6–06; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Request Revision
and Extension of a Currently Approved
Information Collection
National Agricultural Statistics
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104–13) and Office of Management
and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part
1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995),
this notice announces the intention of
the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) to request revision and
extension of a currently approved
information collection, the Honey
Survey.
Comments on this notice must be
received by September 5, 2006 to be
assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to
Ginny McBride, NASS Clearance
Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Room 5336 South Building, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–2024 or sent
electronically to
gmcbride@nass.usda.gov or faxed to
(202) 720–6396.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph T. Reilly, Associate
Administrator, National Agricultural
Statistics Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, (202) 720–4333.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Honey Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0535–0153.
Expiration Date of Approval:
November 30, 2006.
Type of Request: Intent to revise and
extend a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The primary objective of the
National Agricultural Statistics Service
is to prepare and issue state and
national estimates of crop and livestock
production, prices, and disposition. The
Honey Survey collects information on
the number of colonies, honey
production, stocks, and prices. The
survey provides data needed by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and other
government agencies to administer
programs and to set trade quotas and
DATES:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
tariffs. State universities and agriculture
departments also use data from this
survey. The Honey Survey has approval
from OMB for a three year period; NASS
intends to request that the survey be
approved for another three years.
These data will be collected under the
authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a).
Individually identifiable data collected
under this authority are governed by
Section 1770 of the Food Security Act
of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires
USDA to afford strict confidentiality to
non-aggregated data provided by
respondents.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 10 minutes per
response.
Respondents: Farms.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
6,600.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 1,100 hours.
Copies of this information collection
and related instructions can be obtained
without charge from Ginny McBride,
NASS Clearance Officer, at (202) 720–
5778. Comments: Comments are invited
on: (a) Whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
All responses to this notice will
become a matter of public record and be
summarized in the request for OMB
approval.
Signed at Washington, DC, May 30, 2006.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6–10603 Filed 7–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Risk Management Agency
Notice of Request for Revision of a
Currently Approved Collection
AGENCY:
Risk Management Agency,
USDA.
E:\FR\FM\07JYN1.SGM
07JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 130 (Friday, July 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38602-38604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5950]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Fishlake National Forest, Utah, EIS for Oil and Gas Leasing
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA and Bureau of Land Management, USDI.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service of the Fishlake National Forest gives
notice of the intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS)
to document the analysis and disclose the environmental and human
effects of oil and gas leasing on lands administered by the Fishlake
National Forest. The Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of
1987 (FOOGLRA) requires the Forest Service to evaluate National Forest
System lands for potential oil and gas leasing.
As the agency responsible for lease issuance and administration,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will participate as a cooperating
agency.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
by August 10, 2006 to be most helpful. The draft environmental impact
statement is scheduled for completion by the winter of 2006, and the
final environmental impact statement is expected before summer of 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Carter Reed, Oil and Gas Team
Leader, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT
84701; phone: (435) 636-3547; fax: (435) 896-0347; e-mail comments-
intermtn-fishlake@fs.fed.us. Please include ``Oil and Gas Leasing
Analysis Project'' on the subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Davida Carnahan, Public Affairs
Officer, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701; phone: (435) 896-
1070.
For technical information contact: Carter Reed, Oil and Gas Team
Leader, (435) 636-3547.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
FOOGLRA requires the Forest Service to evaluate National Forest
System
[[Page 38603]]
(NFS) lands for potential oil and gas leasing and establishes Forest
Service consent authority for leasing prior to the BLM offering NFS
lands for lease. Since the FOOGLRA was signed into law, there has been
little industry interest in leasing the lands administered by the
Fishlake National Forest, and no leasing has been authorized by the
Fishlake National Forest; however, interest has recently escalated due
to the increased demand for oil and gas, high prices, and discoveries
of oil and gas reserves in other areas with similar geologic
conditions. The BLM Utah State Office has received numerous Expressions
of Interest for leasing portions of the Fishlake National Forest.
Proposed Action
The Forest Supervisor of the Fishlake National Forest and Utah
State Director, Bureau of Land Management propose to conduct the
analysis and decide which lands to make available for oil and gas
leasing. The analysis area includes lands administered by the Fishlake
National Forest. As part of the analysis, the Forest Service will
identify those areas that would be available for leasing subject to the
terms and conditions of the standard oil and gas lease form, or subject
to constraints that would require the use of lease stipulations such as
those prohibiting surface occupancy. The analysis will also: (1)
Identify alternatives to the proposed action, including that of not
allowing leasing (no action), (2) project the type/amount of post-
leasing activity that is reasonably foreseeable, and (3) analyze the
reasonably foreseeable impacts of projected post-leasing activity [36
CFR 228.102(c)].
Possible Alternatives
All alternatives studied in detail must fall within the scope of
the purpose and need for action and will generally tier to and comply
with the Fishlake forest plan. Law requires evaluation of a ``no-action
alternative''. Under the No Action/No Lease alternative, no oil and gas
leasing would occur. Alternatives to be evaluated would range from the
No Action/No Lease alternative (most restrictive) to the Standard Lease
Terms alternative (least restrictive) where all lands legally open to
leasing would be made administratively available for leasing with only
the standard BLM terms and conditions contained on BLM Lease Form 3100-
11. Other alternatives which fall somewhere between the No Action/No
Leasing alternative and Lease with Standard Terms alternative would
also be developed and evaluated, which would involve making some lands
unavailable for leasing and other lands available for leasing with
lease stipulations for the protection of other resources and interests.
The Forest is expecting that the public input will generate either
thematic concerns or area-specific issues that may be addressed by
modifying the proposed action to create a new alternative or
alternatives.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service is the lead agency. The Bureau of Land
Management will participate as a cooperating agency.
Responsible Officials
Mary Erickson, Forest Supervisor, Fishlake National Forest, 115
East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701, Acting Utah State Director, Bureau
of Land Management.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Forest Supervisor, Fishlake National Forest, will decide which
lands administered by the Fishlake National Forest will be
administratively available for oil and gas leasing, along with
associated conditions or constraints for the protection of non-mineral
interests [36 CFR 228.102(d)]. The Forest Supervisor will also
authorize the BLM to offer specific lands for lease, subject to the
Forest Service ensuring that the required stipulations are attached to
the leases [36 CFR 228.102(e)].
The BLM is responsible for issuing and administration of oil and
gas leases under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and
Federal Regulations in 43 CFR 3101.7. The BLM Utah State Director must
decide whether or not to offer for lease specific lands authorized for
leasing by the Fishlake National Forest and with what stipulations.
Scoping Process
The first formal opportunity to comment on the Fishlake National
Forest Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis Project is during the scoping
process (40 CFR 1501.7), which begins with the issuance of this Notice
of Intent.
Mail comments to: Carter Reed, Oil and Gas Team Leader, Fishlake
National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701.
The Forest Service requests comments on the nature and scope of the
environmental, social, and economic issues, and possible alternatives
related to oil and gas leasing on lands administered by the Fishlake
National Forest.
A series of public opportunities are scheduled to describe the
proposal and to provide an opportunity for public input. Six scoping
meetings are planned.
July 17: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Beaver Ranger District, 575 South Main,
Beaver, Utah.
July 18: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Piute Event Center, 180 W. 500 N.,
Junction, Utah.
July 19: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Loa Civic Center, 95 W. Center, Loa,
Utah.
July 20: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Millard High School, 35 N. 200 W.,
Fillmore, Utah.
August 1: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Snow College, Room 147C, Richfield,
Utah.
August 2: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., American Legion Hall, 50 S. State St.,
Salina, Utah.
Written comments will be accepted at these meetings. The Forest
Service will work with tribal governments to address issues that would
significantly or uniquely affect them.
Preliminary Issues
Important goals for the project are to meet the legal requirements
for evaluating National Forest System lands and make the required
decisions. The intent of the applicable laws and regulations (see
Summary) are to lease appropriate National Forest System lands and
provide a reasonable opportunity to explore for, discover, and produce
economic oil and gas reserves from available Federal lands, while
meeting the requirements of environmental laws and protecting other
resources and interests not compatible with such activities. Issues are
anticipated to involve potential effects to wildlife, water,
vegetation, recreation, public safety, roadless character, visual
resources, cultural and paleontological resources, and social and
economic settings. Specific issues will be developed through review of
public comments and internal review.
Comment Requested
This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. The Forest has
also received substantial input at public meetings held for the Forest
Plan revision, including issues relative to mineral exploration and
development. Through these efforts the Forest has an understanding of
the broad range of perspectives on the resource issues and social
values attributed to resource activities on the Fishlake National
Forest. Consequently site-specific comments or concerns are the most
important types of information needed for this EIS. Because the Oil and
Gas Leasing EIS is a stand-alone document, only public comment letters
which address relevant issues and concerns
[[Page 38604]]
will be considered and formally addressed in an appendix in the FEIS.
Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent
Environmental Review
A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for
comment. The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement
is expected to be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important to
give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft environmental impact statements must structure their
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action
participate by providing comments during scoping comment period and
during the comment period following the draft EIS so that substantive
comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at a
time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the
final environmental impact statement.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as
possible. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing their
points.
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal
and will be available for public inspection.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook
1909.15, Section 21.)
Dated: June 27, 2006.
Mary C. Erickson,
Fishlake Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 06-5950 Filed 7-6-06; 8:45 am]
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